busygirl

car update!

Whew, apparently our little car dilemma wasn't as bad as it appeared!  At first we thought it was because of the metal rusting underneath the paint, but according to the experts at our local toyota dealer (I drive a Scion), there could be a more reasonable explaination.  The brake pads emit a metal dust sometimes that can stick to the car paint and form rust-looking spots.  They are easily removed with a good waxing job, so the dealership very nicely offered to detail my car for me this week in exchange for my troubles.  I'm a little skeptical though, considering Adam couldn't manage to get the spots out during his own wash/wax job on the car this weekend.  Maybe the dealership has some sort of super-wax not sold in stores.

I guess all we can do it wait and see if the problem gets fixed!  If not then Plan B is that they would have to repaint the entire car and possibly replace any damaged metal panels.

miscellany monday: back to the grind.

1. Welcome to another fabulous Monday!  Don't you wish you could've had just one more day of weekend?  I sure do.

2. Saturday we managed to roll out of bed early enough to venture to Cleveland's west side market.  I haven't been there in years, and my mom has never been, despite the fact that we live a measly 20 miles from it.  The market was even better than I remembered, bustling with activity.  Adam was like a kid in a candy store, looking this way and that.  We picked up quite a few goodies at a great price: white cherries, homemade pierogis, fresh bread and bagels, asparagus and even a dog bone for Ricki!  More on that later tonight, he was hysterical trying to eat it.  Any way, we had a blast and I will definitely be going back at least once a month.  What a great way to spend a morning, not to mention the people-watching was top-notch.

3. I FILLED an entire bin of clothing and items to donate.  I've been motivated to do some end-of-the-summer cleaning, trying to purge our house of unnecessary items.  We're still holding onto stuff from our college days, mismatched forks and glasses.  I think it's about time we sent them on their way to someone who can use them.

(sorry, bb photo)

4. Saturday night we had a few friends and family over as a goodbye for one of our favorite family friend, who is leaving for her first year of college this week.  Kept it simple and ordered pizza.  But Adam just couldn't pass up the chance to give our nephew Tommy his first popsicle as a dessert!  It was an instant hit!

5. A wee bit of car drama ensued as well.  While cleaning my car on Saturday (what a dear husband), Adam discovered that there were little pinpoints of rust all over my car, which is not even 2 years old.  After conferring with a friend who daylights as a mechanic, apparently this is caused by the metal under the paint rusting because the chemical composition of the paint was off in the manufacturing plant that day.  To put this plainly, it was a shoddy paint job.  So I'm rockin in the Nissan today while Adam takes my car back to the dealership to sort this whole mess out.  I'm hoping they replace/repair the damaged panels, I can't imagine how this would affect the resale price of my car.  Hopefully there are some reasonable service guys there today, one's who have already had enough coffee to deal with a problem car on a Monday morning.

6. Exciting giveaway (and review) coming up soon!  I know you all loved the last csn stores giveaway, and I've been selected to review a product and give away another gift card!  If you're not familiar with CSN stores, well, they have everything from a bedroom vanity to the kitchen sink to fabulous throw pillows.  You need it, they've got it.  And if you didn't win last time, keep your eyes posted for this next giveaway!

7. I'm ready for a productive week, as soon as the caffeine kicks in of course.

coffee break.

Ahh, only my third week of promising to get up early and reflect on my busy week and I'm already slacking.  Although in my defense, I'm a wee bit under the weather today.  Allergies have hit Ohio hard and me even harder.  Oh trees, when can you and I be friends?

Needless to say, I chose an extra 30 minutes of sleep over 30 minutes of groggily reflecting on all that has happened this week.  Although my extremely active dog felt that sleeping past 5:30am was not an option for humans.  Grumble, when did they start putting caffeine in dog food?

Speaking of the pup, this week involved some conversations around our little rockstar.  Although in stunning health for an old man of 9 years, Ricki is sporting a cataract in his right eye that as of late, seems to be impairing his vision quite a bit.  Although the first few runs in to the wall were humorous, we're feeling bad for the little guy who's struggling with his depth perception.

Surgery is an option albeit an expensive one.  I spent some time researching other methods of treatment and stumbled across an article that mentioned daily eye drops.  Has anyone else gone this route?  Or did you elect for surgery?  I was praying it would clear up on its own (wishful thinking) or that the cataract wouldn't progress to its current state.  However, we're now faced with some decisions to make.  We'd like our favorite pup to run and play without damaging the walls (and his head).  But as with all surgeries, we're a tad bit nervous about the risk and cost associated with the treatment.

In related dog news - stop on over to my friend Lauren's blog and leave her some love.  Her lab, Dixon, accidentally ingested some clothing and is having a bit of a rough time getting everything cleared up.

Adam and I (and Ricki) gave babysitting our nephew Tommy another go this week as well.  In spite of Ricki's hard feelings towards Tommy, he did manage to hold himself together for a few hours.  No rolls of toilet paper were harmed in this playdate.  Nor did our carpet get defiled.  Ricki even managed to sneak up beside my lap (where Tommy was perched) to get a closer look at the tiny human that was hogging his parents' attention.  And then with a deep sigh, turned his head and lay down in discontent.  Poor pup.  He does hate to share.

He has been spoiled though.  Extra walks from Adam to make up for him working late quite a bit this week.  While I'm thrilled that projects are pouring in for him, I have been wondering if we'll ever get to eat dinner before 9pm again.  Apparently we're quite lazy when we eat late and Ricki has been reaping the benefit of fallen scraps.  You won't hear him complaining!

Special thanks for all the wonderful comments on our wedding photos throughout this week!  We are pleased with how they turned out and put forth some extra effort to look pretty for you all.  What can I say, a shower, some makeup and an expensive dress does wonders.  Look for a few more posts over the next week, complete with proof that you can indeed, inhale cake.

In a coffee bean: Adam is working (and playing) hard, the pup never ceases to amaze me with his ability to have an attitude, and I need to live in a world of artificial trees.

How was your week?

why not fifty.

Anyone else feeling as brain dead as me today?  Let's keep it light and easy, because on top of feeling 'duh', I'm also feeling 'blah'.

Taken from Kara's Chatter:

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

Judging from how tired I feel, probably 30-something with a couple of kids.

2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?

Never trying, because you're constantly wondering, what if, what if, if only...  At least if you fail you might possibly have a semi-humorous story to share.

3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

We have the wrong priorities.  And life is somewhat restricted by your bank account.  Believe me, if money weren't an issue we'd be spending all day out under the sun, walking, exploring and having life-changing conversations about nothing.  And eating miniature food.  Why is food always better in bite-sized portions?

4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

I dream big, act medium, finish small.  It's not that I'm a quitter, it's that there's only 24 hours in a day.

5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?

LIGHTEN UP.  There's too much he said, she said.  Pointed fingers.  Too much exaggeration of the truth.  I would like everyone to be loyal and true to themselves.  Oh, and for there to be a Qdoba on every corner.

6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

Professional explorer.  Not Lewis and Clark style.  More like backpacking through Europe style.  I'd document everything.  Exploration Photographer.  Also, my dog could come with me.

7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

I'm shifting, probably about 80% settled, 20% doing.  This will be changing.

8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

I'd be in more of a rush to see everything, do everything.  I wouldn't let my bank account delegate what I can and cannot do.

9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

The only thing I can control is myself.  That portion of my course has been taken care of.  The rest just kind of falls into place.

10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

A year or so ago, I would say doing the right things.  Till I realized that I was striving to make other people happy at a cost.  Now I do things right, while realizing that others who don't abide by this, may become upset or unhappy with my decisions.

11.You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?

Say that I would have to disagree with them, politely explain why and end that portion of the conversation.  Let's talk about green beans, green beans are delicious.

12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

Your life, while important, is no more important than anyone else's.  Life will become easier when you realize this.  And take time to drink tea from pretty cups.  It helps you savor life.

13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?

Without a thought.  Unless I had to kill an animal.  I would hesitate.

14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?

Yes, and was thoroughly impressed with the aftermath.

15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?

Read.  I speed-read two lines at a time.  While terribly efficient, sometimes information falls through the cracks in my brain.

you capture: kitchen.

There's really not much else that I love in our kitchen as much as homemade food, simmering away on the stove.  Like the homemade salsa Adam and I threw together the other night.

Although Adam would probably tell you he loves his Henckels knives more than anything else.

And if you asked our dog, chances are the answer would be that top shelf on the refrigerator door where his favorite treats are kept.  Carrots!

 

wedding photos: adam and me.

Next up: reception part 1!

wordless wednesday: now that's a big boat.

letters to the public.

Dear Obama,

I don't ask for much.  Heck, I don't ask for anything.

I just want to change my damn name.

Can you make that happen?  Could you POSSIBLY take some of that $1 million you're spending on road signs that we don't need in Ohio to hire, I don't know, 2 more people at the Social Security Office?

Also, 9am-4pm as your hours of operation?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!  Maybe YOU don't work a full day unlike most people.

And your little, 'oh make an appointment' spiel?  BS.  You don't HAVE appointments until 2011.

THREE DAYS OF WAITING for my number to NEVER be called.

My stomach is hungry.  And my name isn't changed.

Sincerely,

Nicole

********

Dear stay-at-home-mom,

Why on earth do you feel that you need to pick 12pm to go get your child a social security card?  YOU HAVE ALL DAY and I have a measly 30 minutes.

Also, your children are hungry.  BECAUSE IT'S LUNCHTIME.

Sincerely,

Nicole

********

Dear obnoxious child of woman above,

If you kick my chair one more time, I will eat YOU for lunch.

I'm hungry.  And not kidding.

Sincerely,

Nicole

********

Dear Adam,

I'm sorry.  I can't change my name.  Let's just change the dog's name instead.  The vet office is much nicer and more accommodating than our sorry excuse for a government.

Sincerely,

Your wife with the wrong last name

********

Dear Obama one last time,

You had time to put your name in the spell check dictionary but you don't have time to stamp 'approved' on my name change app.  Shame on you.

Sincerely,

I'mmovingtoCanada

wedding photos: the bridal party.

Formal.

Just hanging out at a gazebo.

 

The girls.
 

Hanging with Adam.

 
Getting a lift from the boys.

Standard jump!

And the party bus!

 

Next up: just Adam and me!

wedding photos: ceremony highlights!

Saying our vows. 

Unity Candle.

Having a quick discussion about Adam's golf game while lighting the candle.

You may kiss the bride!

Husband and wife!

 
Tunnel of bubbles!

 
 Next up: Bridal Party pics